Dangling guitars, shimmering cymbals and a sickening bass flute: ‘Orkest’ at Netwerk (Aalst)

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Never knew the sound of a bass flute could be that sickening. It really turned my stomach upside down. No wonder they hand out earmuffs and earplugs at the entrance. And I had thought to be ‘safe’ by visiting Orkest when those huge church bells weren’t doing their daily routine (every day at 3pm). Am I sounding too off-putting here? Orkest (orchestra) at Netwerk (Aalst, through March 6), consisting of 8 installations, is actually a rather interesting, small exhibition about sound, presenting for instance Konrad Smolenski‘s Everything Was Forever, Until It Was No More, which was part of the Venice Biennale in 2013 (Polish pavilion). Too busy to make that trip to Aalst? Then at least check out these videos, fragments from percussionist Julian Sartorius’s Beat Diary, or listen to Rutger Zuydervelt ‘s eternal A, Stay Tuned, with more than 150 musicians contributing. (images: courtesy Netwerk)

I wish I could have told you about…

I wish I could have told you… About Jacob Kassay’s radical show at Xavier Hufkens (Brussels). Or about Robert Wilson’s The life and death of Marina Abramovic (deSingel, Antwerp), for instance. And about all those performances at the Kunstenfestival (Brussels). But sometimes things do not go as planned, and so I had to stop being an unwearying art traveller for a while. But don’t worry. I’m fine. And I’m back. It might have been awfully quiet on this street, but expect to see activity picking up on your beloved Utopia Parkway shortly.

Don’t panic. Your beloved Utopia Parkway hasn’t jumped ship. Au contraire. There were so many things I had wanted to tell you about at the end of last year, but then that damn flu hit me. Be assured, I’m working on Utopia Parkway: the comeback. For now, let me just thank you for following this blog in 2011. I wish you a wonderful 2012.

Addendum to previous post: Luc Tuymans interview

For those of you who might be interested in reading my interview with Luc Tuymans (sorry, Dutch only): you’ll find it here: part one and part two.

Utopia Parkway says: happy new year!

Time flies. Sorry for not being that prolific, lately. But I’ll be back soon. Thanks for sticking with Utopia Parkway in 2010. I wish you all a happy and beautiful 2011.

Utopia Parkway turns 1

On April 30 last year I created this little alley on the internet called Utopia Parkway. Since then I’ve written some 180 posts, which means: an average of one post every other day. Not bad, if you allow me to say so. A sincere thank you to all of you who’ve been coming back to read my little newspaper. And a big thank you to all of you who’ve been supporting me and my Utopia Parkway in one way or the other. Suggestions? Do let me know: utopiaparkway1@hotmail.com.

Berlinde De Bruyckere wins one of the Flemish CultuurPrijzen (and talks to Utopia Parkway)

It was getting a bit preposterous. That’s why I’m happy to know that Berlinde De Bruyckere was finally awarded one of the CultuurPrijzen Vlaanderen, in Kortrijk, tonight. The Flemish artist was already nominated twice before, for these ‘Flemish culture prizes’, awarded in 12 categories every year. This was the third time she got nominated. Other notable winners this year are Benjamin Verdonck (theatre) and Renzo Martens (film), for his thought-provoking Enjoy poverty. They each get 12.500 euro. Berlinde De Bruyckere was kind enough to invite me over to her studio recently and talk to me for my Utopia Parkway Files. I’ll be publishing her thoughts on beauty shortly. In the meantime you can still go to bookshop Saint-Hubert, Brussels, so see some pictures of her work and one new sculpture. More info: here.

Utopia Parkway proudly presents: ‘On beauty – The Utopia Parkway Files’

Beauty. It’s a concept that has been intriguing me for quite some time now. Hence my ABC: ‘Utopia Parkway – Art, beauty & culture’. Beauty is one of the first things the general public will look for, or will feel touched by, almost automatically, when visiting an exhibition or watching a play. But for many in the art world it’s a suspicious, yes even reprehensible concept. Just the other day I read a review in which a play was criticised for being just too beautiful. So I decided to do something about it. Why not ask artists, choreographers, actors and directors what ‘beauty’ means to them? Is it important to them or not? Do they loathe the concept or not? From tomorrow onwards I will be posting one of these short, exclusive interviews or statements every once in a while. Hope they’ll bring some clarification, contradiction and confusion. Stay tuned.

Half price ticket booth goes online

Just what we needed. Arsène 50, the half price ticket booth for Brussels, promises to make everyone’s life a lot easier. From now on you won’t have to queue up anymore at Flagey or Cinema Arenberg, for cheap last minute tickets. You can also buy your tickets online, at www.arsene50.be, from Tuesday till Saturday (2PM-5.30PM). Last season 59.950 were sold, through Arsène 50.

Stay tuned for more: Meg Stuart, Adams Appels, Ikeda & Etchells

The end of the Kunstenfestivaldesarts doesn’t mean that I will be closing up shop. So stay tuned for more. In the days to come I will bring you a review of the Paris’ première of Do Animals Cry, the new Meg Stuart performance. I’ll go to Antwerp for the première of Adams Appels, a musical by Olympique Dramatique & Dominique Pauwels, and I’m already looking forward to In pieces, a collaboration between Fumiyo Ikeda (Rosas) and Tim Etchells (Forced Entertainment).

Newsflash: Robert Vuijsje wins ‘Gouden Uil’

Dutch writer Robert Vuijsje has won the Gouden Uil (Golden owl), the prestigious Belgian award for literature, for his first novel Alleen maar nette mensen. The Gouden Uil for children’s books was awarded to Peter Verhelst & Carl Cneutt for Het geheim van de keel van de nachtegaal. The winners receive 25.000 euro and a trofee designed by illustrator Ever Meulen. Past winners include Jeroen Brouwers, Arnon Grunberg and Tom Lanoye.

Day 4: Tristero / Transquinquennal

Reassuring thought: there’s only 0,0001 percent chance that one might die during a theatre performance. Just a simple fact you learn during Coalition, the hilarious new theatre performance of the two Brussels-based collectives Tristero and Transquinquennal. A weird but coherent collection of mostly silent sketches that involve fire-fighters, pilots, nurses, stewardesses and the inevitable Tommy Cooper.

Welcome

 Not getting enough art, beauty & culture from your local newspaper? Thinking that you could do with a little bit more? In need of a guide  that you can trust amidst all those plays, performances and exhibitions? And craving for a not too serious and conceited one? Why not turn to Utopia Parkway then? From now on I’ll be providing you with a daily bit of culture. Where to go, what to see and what to know.

What better way than to let the launch of Utopia Parkway coincide with the start of the KunstenFestivalDesArts (Brussels). Three weeks, 30 or so projects, including 17 creations, from more than 15 countries. Theatre, dance and film. In covering this festival, Utopia Parkway will be trying to accomplish the impossible.